BRENDA R. HOLMES, a Native American Indian from the Acoma Tribe.Brenda’s hometown is located in Acomita approximately 70-miles west of Albuquerque, New Mexico in the Acoma Pueblo where her ancestors had first inhabited what is now known as Sky City a sheer-walled, 367-foot high sandstone mesa that is the oldest village in North America dating back to 1075 A.D. and still inhabited to this day.Upon graduating from high school, Brenda took a position with the U.S. Forestry Department.It was here that she developed her interest in federal service and was later hired by the Department of the Air Force December 1989 within the Phillips Laboratory Satellite Assessment and Weapons Research Center at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico where she was responsible for various secretarial and classified clerical administrative duties.When this position expired she briefly joined the private sector workforce as an office automation technician in a Risk Management Insurance Firm.In May 1997 Brenda married Todd, an Air Force Aircraft Structures Technician.In September 1997 when an opportunity for federal service presented itself again, Brenda took a position with the United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Facilities Management in Albuquerque, New Mexico.Working closely with the Division’s Chief of Operation & Maintenance she served as the lead supply technician and office automation assistant.Her duties involved carrying out the responsibility to protect and improve the trust assets of American Indians, Indian Tribes, and Alaska Natives through the delivery of quality services and maintaining agency-to-agency relationships within the spirit of the Indian Self-Determination Act.In May 1999 Brenda left the BIA when her husband was selected for reassignment to Dover AFB, DE to fly the C-5 Galaxy aircraft as a Combat Flight Engineer.Shortly after Brenda arrived in Delaware she was brought onboard as the Secretary and Program Assistant with the USDA ARS Beneficial Insects Introduction Research Unit, Newark, Delaware.

Always eager to take on new challenges, Brenda is the primary administrative support for the location’s Research Leader, Lead Scientists, Administrative Officer and Laboratory Staff.Brenda also fulfills duties as the location’s liaison for administrative support matters that involve the USDA Area Office and Headquarters Staff.Throughout her tenure within the ARS, Brenda’s accomplishments have exponentially increased to include mastering significant changes of the new Gov Trip Travel System and as the primary travel arranger she is a subject matter expert and trainer at the Newark location.She arranges for both domestic and foreign travel providing location staff with guidance on procedures on all travel issues using the Agriculture Travel System and Federal Travel Regulations.In addition, she works closely with the Foundation Financial Information System, process accounting transactions, research transactions, performance of the disbursement transactions and maintenance of travel document files for budgetary purposes.Brenda also serves as principal timekeeper for the location using the new Web T&A System for Time and Attendance as well as the primary focal point for agency research manuscript typing.Serves as the location's EEO/CR Representative for the ARS NAA EEO/CR Advisory Committee since March 2001 to present.Coordinates within and outside of the agency to provide for many cultural presentations which has yielded educational experiences for staff, leading the way in the ARS’s goal of awareness and appreciation for diverse cultures.When asked what she felt was her greatest attributes that she brings to this agency, she remarked “I feel that my commitment to service before self, equal and fair treatment of others, human relations, professionalism in every situation and providing topnotch support within each aspect of duties are among some of the things I consider important to me.I always strive for that goal”.Her motto, “Never hesitate to ask what you can do to help others”.